“The recommended amount of tension in guitar strings is between 60 and 80 Newtons for the average player. This tension creates a mellow, satisfying sound. Those who want a louder or brighter sound might consider high tension strings. Remember, string tension can make it more difficult to play, so keep that in mind when tuning.”

fuelrocks.com

So this morning I am reading the book of Luke, sort of moving through it on auto-pilot but also praying for a special revelation from God, when I breeze through chapter nine, hit pause, reverse, and re-read.

Here is the gist: Jesus has a Holy meet-up with Moses and Elijah on a mountaintop, which He invites Peter, John, and James to witness. It is far too glorious an occasion for Peter to appropriately discern, so God speaks audibly and commands them to listen to Jesus. We’re never really sure if Peter gets it, but Jesus descends the mountain with Peter, John, and James in tow and finds His remaining disciples unable to cast out a particularly nasty demon; He proceeds to chastise His beloved disciples for their unbelief and casts out the demon. Then, in the middle of the kerfuffle, as people marvel at the miracle and the disciples (presumably) reel, especially the three who had just witnessed the transfiguration and the audible voice of God telling them (essentially) to straighten up and fly right, Jesus in His perfect timing drops this little Truth bomb:

 “Let these words sink into your ears: The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men.” But they did not understand this saying, and it was concealed from them, so that they might not perceive it. And they were afraid to ask him about this saying.”

Luke 9:44-45

I read it again. And again. I do not know if this series of events transpires on one day or over one week or one month. Time is funny stuff (funnier to God than to us, most of the time), so factor that in if it helps, but Jesus straight-up tells them a simple Truth. They hear the words. There is no riddle. But God conceals the meaning from them, they are confused, and they are afraid to ask.

This story pretty well sums up my life right now.

What does God want us to know here?

These dudes are the twelve. These are the guys Jesus chooses to go on and build His global church–the men through which He changes the world–and the Lord intentionally lets them sweat it out, walk the walk, do the work.

God says to us: “Listen to Him.”

Jesus speaks.

God conceals from us the understanding.

This is the tension I am walking in today, the tension apparently necessary for the eventual and perfect wisdom and understanding James speaks of in the testing of our faith:

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”

James 1:2-8

Please don’t get me wrong: This tension is uncomfortable. Sometimes it is downright painful. But the more difficulty, the more beautiful the resulting faith.

This is the perfect tension. There is Truth and it is simple, but our world is chaos and our minds are limited and our hearts are full of fear. All we need to know is right there, waiting for our tender hearts and minds to be ready. What a marvelous joy it must be for Him when His children allow themselves to be stretched and tuned just right so that their lives produce beautiful worship.

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.”

Matthew 7:7-8